Dreaming
by Embla
Summary: A tale about a cherry blossom and her not-so-little wolf.
1. Wish under the stars

ch1

**Disclaimer** CCS and anything related to it belongs to Clamp. I am merely a stressed-out person who enjoys writing fanfics, so...please don't sue. The lyrics is copyright of Selena. All rights reserved. 

**Author's Notes**  
The lyrics you'll find here -- and the title -- is dedicated to my favorite song, [Dreaming of You][1]. Hai, it's a really good song, so I made a midi link to it! d; But of course, that is only my opinion...Anyway, this is my first fic, so feedback is gladly appreciated!   


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**Dreaming of You**  
Written by Rae 

_ Late at night, when all the world is sleeping  
I stay up late and think of you  
And I wish on a star that somewhere you are...  
Thinking of me too._

Seated on the window ledge, Li Syaoran stared broodingly outside. The night sky was clear, and with the exception of the sounds the crickets made, not a noise could be heard. It didn't really matter though -- he was too intent on thinking that he would probably not realize it if the circus turned up just then...so lost was he in his thoughts about _her_. 

A warm feeling crept up on his cheeks. Just the concept of her in his mind, just the mention of her name could bring this reaction to him. Him. Li Syaoran. Blushing. 

Had someone even mentioned such action to him a few years back, he would have furiously beaten him to a bloody pulp. 

And now...here he was, doing just that, thinking about an auburn-haired girl like the lovesick person that he was. _You baka_, he mentally cursed himself, _you _know_ that she'll never return your feelings_. And that was what hurt him most. To know that Kinomoto Sakura didn't have the similar feeling that repeatedly overwhelmed him every time he caught sight of her. 

But he could dream, could he? If that was the only thing he could have of her - an image imprinted in his mind - then he might as well settle with it. Life, after all, is not very forgiving. No one can have everything they want. And wanting - needing - it so much that it tore down to the very core of a person's being made no difference. 

He sighed, and continued to look up at the night sky, dotted with stars that twinkled brightly. A brightness that cried out hope...a contradiction to the despair that Syaoran was feeling. 

***

In another house, an auburn-haired girl rested her chin on her hands, and gazed wistfully at the starry night sky. 

_Wonder if you ever see me  
And I wonder if you know I'm there?  
If you looked in my eyes, would you see what's inside --  
Would you even care...?_

'Hey, Syaoran!' a Sakura waved at the tall teenager with amber eyes. As usual, Syaoran didn't return her greeting. It was almost as if she hadn't said hello to him in the first place. 

And it hurt. As much as she hated to admit it, it hurt her to see Syaoran acting so aloof, so unfriendly towards her. She shouldn't care. She had many friends that are there for her. So why should she care about such a mindless little thing? 

She heaved a sigh. She should know the answer to that. She cared a lot because she cared about _him_, Li Syaoran. The silent, reserved teen of whom she was with in most classes, who long ago helped her capture the Clow Cards. 

_You're an idiot, Sakura, to think that he'll consider you more than the Card Captor that you were_. Syaoran had kept his distance because he had no desire whatsoever to be associated with her. His business with the Clow Cards was over, and thus his business with her was over also. 

She slowly skated towards the entrance of the school, feeling downhearted, knowing well that it was him who ruined her mood. It hadn't taken her much thinking to know that it would be a long day... 

'Hey, Sakura!' someone called out cheerfully. Sakura turned, and spotted her best friend Tomoyo. 

'Konnichiwa, Tomoyo,' she greeted listlessly. The dark-haired girl caught up with Sakura, and her smiling face turned into a worried frown as she saw the cheerless expression on the other girl's face. 

'Sakura, daijobu desu ka?' she asked in concern. Sakura nodded, forcing herself to smile even just the slightest. 

'I'm okay, Tomoyo-chan. Just...tired.' They slowly walked in the building, heading where their lockers were located. No words were spoken between them then; both were too deep in their thoughts to make conversation. 

As soon Sakura had put away her roller blades, the school bell rang, and Tomoyo's purple eyes turned to her for the briefest moment. 

'I won't be pressing for answers, Sakura. Yet.' She smiled, making a move to walk away. 'See you in class.' 

_I can never hide anything from her_, Sakura thought ruefully. Grabbing her books, she ran after her best friend. 

Behind Sakura, stood a brown-haired teen, his eyes focused intently after her running figure that was quickly disappearing into the distance. Had anybody caught sight of him then, they would be astonished by the warm affection his amber eyes held. 

***

'And so, once the value of x was found, you then divide it with the sum of y...' Tomoe-sensei droned on with the lessons. Sakura's head was lulling itself to sleep. _Math is such a boring subject_, she whined silently. 'Sakura?' Her head snapped upright. 

'Huh?' 

The teacher was looking at her directly. 'Can you please tell us the answer for question number 1 part A?' 

'A-answer?' she squeaked; not yet taking in the situation. Her sensei was looking at Sakura, with a patience of a teacher to that of a student that was slow on the uptake. 

'Yes, Sakura. The answer, please.' Sakura looked down at the question on the book, and blankly to the teacher again. Now everyone was staring at her, waiting for her to solve the problem, and she blushed furiously -- there was no way she could answer it at that moment. It took her 10 minutes to solve each problem at the question sheets she did the night before! 

There was a moment of uneasy silence. Then Tomoe-sensei sighed. 'Well then, I guess that's detention for you, Sakura. You know that I'm not too fond of this habit.' She headed towards her desk to write Sakura's name on a sheet of paper. 

Sakura groaned in dismay. But just then, a tiny piece of paper landed on her desk. Curiously, she unfolded it, and saw a figure hastily written on it. It took her less than a second to realize that it was the answer to the problem. 'Oh, wait, sensei! The answer is...5 over 2x.' 

The teacher looked at her in surprise. Then she smiled. The student was paying attention, after all. 'Well, then. Arigatou, Sakura.' She turned away, asking another student to answer the next question. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. Turning her head to look for the mysterious person that had saved her from serving detention, her eyes swept the room, and finally, they landed on a pair of golden-brown eyes. Those eyes held her gaze, and it dawned on her. 

Li-kun...so it was him who had helped her. But why? 

'Kinomoto Sakura, pay attention.' Tomoe-sensei looked at her sternly. Sakura instantly went back to the lesson. 

'Gomen,' she murmured.   


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[Chapter 2][2] >>>> 

1. Wish under the stars2. Camarederie3. The End Next >

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	2. Camarederie

**Disclaimer**  


_CCS and anything related to it belongs to Clamp_. I am merely a stressed-out person who enjoy writing fanfics, so...please don't sue. The lyrics is copyright of Selena. All rights reserved. 

**Author's Notes**  
I was wrong. This story is going to be a trilogy. Hehe, oops! ^.^ Well, this is the second installment of it. =) Again, the lyrics you'll find here -- and the title -- is dedicated to my favorite song, [Dreaming of You][1]. Hai, it's a really good song, so I made a midi link to it! d; But of course, that is only my opinion...   


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**Dreaming of You**  
Written by Rae 

_I just want to hold you close, but so far,  
all I have are dreams of you  
so I wait for the day...and the courage to say  
how much I love you._

School was finally over. 

Syaoran swung his bag over his shoulder. He closed his locker, and was about to walk away when a feminine hand grabbed hold of his. Slightly irritated, he turned, and was stupefied when he saw that it was Sakura. 

'Sakura...w-what?' he uttered her name. His throat closed when he saw her face grew from solemn to smiling, the radiance of her face momentarily knocking the air off him. He could stare at her forever, and be happy doing so. 

'Arigatou gozaimasu, Syaoran,' Sakura spoke with a smile. 

He frowned. For what? Then he remembered the incident in math class, when she nearly had it with the sensei. 'It was no problem,' he said quietly. The green-eyed girl looked at him closely, tilting her head to the side. 

'Why did you help me, Syaoran?' she questioned. Syaoran stared at her for a moment, then looked away. 

'I...didn't want you to get in trouble,' he murmured. _What's this?_ His mind screamed. _You can't even make a decent conversation. It's no wonder she hates you._

But he knew that that wasn't the only reason. Part of it was because he shunned her away...ignored her as soon they have finished capturing the Clow Cards and the Final Judgment had ended. Turned away from her for the reason that he could uphold his rational thoughts...because being close to Sakura was about as far away from being rational as he could ever get. 

Common sense may be over-ruled by his heart, and he might accidentally blurt out his feelings to her. Then what? He couldn't stand to see her mocking face, so appalled and dismayed would she be that... 

'Syaoran?' his mind snapped. He looked down at Sakura, and saw jade eyes looking at him in concern. 'Are you all right?' Syaoran nodded numbly, and she let out an all-too-familiar grin of hers. 'I'm glad. Well...I better go or I'll be late for practice. Dewa mata!' Once again, Syaoran caught himself gazing, till her shape disappeared into the distance. 

I'm glad... that was her last words, wasn't it? Maybe he had a chance, after all. 

He shook his head vehemently. _Fool. Anyone polite enough would say the same thing_. Demo...if he had been a different person...a likeable being to her, maybe he'd have the guts to say what he had been feeling for the past several years. To see if her reaction would be the sort he was hoping, and maybe... 

Just maybe, it won't be a dream. 

_ 'Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight  
'Till tomorrow I'll be holding you tight  
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be  
Than here in my room, dreaming about you and me_

Sakura got home, feeling drained. Cheerleading practices could only burn out so much. 'I'm home,' she called out, and as if responding to her call, a dark head popped out from the kitchen door. 

'Well if it isn't our little kaijuu,' Kinomoto Touya drawled. Sakura glared at him. 

'Onii-chan! How many times do I have to say that I'm not a kaijuu? Stop calling me what you have called me when I was younger. I'm a teenager already, in high school!' 

'Yea, I'm still wondering about that age of yours, considering the fact that you still behave like a ten-year old,' he snorted. Softly saying 'kaijuu' one more time, he closed the door, and a second after that, one of Sakura's shoes had followed. Grumbling to herself, she nearly stomped her way upstairs to her room. 

She pushed the door open, violently, its hinges creaking in protest. A fury yellow creature, who had been absorbed in his game, jumped from the sound, and a moment later let out a yelp. 

''GAME OVER?' Kero-chan's tiny figure went berserk. 'IIE!! I didn't get to save it yet!' he wailed. 'I had never gotten to that level...this is unfair! _Unfair!_' 

Despite Sakura's annoyance towards Touya, she smiled, amused at the scene going on before her. Kero-chan was as obsessed with videogames as Tomoyo was with her video camera. The winged creature was trashing about the room, still sobbing dramatically about the loss. Leaning against the wall, Sakura raised an eyebrow. He could also be très dramatique. 

Something caught her eye all of a sudden - it was lying carelessly underneath her study table, a rectangular and flat object - probably was there as a result from Keroberos's wild rampage. Bending down to pick it up, she saw that it was a photograph, taken when she was ten, of herself, Tomoyo, Chiharu, Rika, Takashi, Naoko, and Syaoran. It was a class trip on the beach, the same time she had caught The Erase card - when Syaoran nearly had gotten erased. She let out a slight smile, remembering the anguish she had felt, as seeing the boy - the only one left of her friends who had previously disappeared - turn into a ghostly transparence. 

It had been quite a day, all right. Before her and her friends had headed back, they took a group shot as a sort of reminiscence - cheerful and smiling...all except for Syaoran. He wasn't even looking at the camera. Instead he was looking...looking...Sakura peered closer, and blushed. 

Looking at her. 

_Maybe he was just distracted_, She thought, brushing away the mere fact that it could be more than that. In any case, he was probably thinking of how bothersome she had been, laughing loudly and grabbing his arm like she did. 

Amidst all the racket Kero was making, she stood there, staring at the picture she held in her hands and, just like she did in a lot of nights, she turned her head up at the evening sky studded now with dazzling stars... 

And thought of him...of 'them', and of a bond that would never be... 

***

Hands in the pocket of his khakis, Syaoran walked slowly, on his way home from instructing at the local martial arts center. Due to the fact that their previous instructor had been caught in an accident, the center had requested him as a replacement, even offering money in the process. 

Syaoran had no idea how they had found out about this particular skill of his, but nevertheless, he accepted to teach on weeknights, refusing to take the little money they had to offer him along the way. 

It was funny, though, that more and more females had joined ever since then... 

The cold night breeze began to penetrate through his thin clothes, and he pushed the lapels of his jean jacket closer as an attempt to gain more warmth. He looked down at his feet, and frowned. 

The path he was now walking at looked different, in comparison to the route he usually took on his way home from the center. Different in terms of the place, the street...the houses. Instinctively, Syaoran looked over to his left, and as expected, there stood Sakura's house. He looked down at the ground, then at the house, bewildered. 

Kami-sama, how _did_ he end up here? 

His thoughts were disrupted by a noise. Syaoran looked up. A window was being opened, and someone leaned over. His heart thudded as he got a glimpse of a girl in a nightgown. _Sakura..._

Silently, so as not to get caught, he stealthily took a few steps back, and stood behind a bush. There, with the cluster of leaves safely blocking him from where Sakura was, he watched her freely. 

She rested her chin on her arms, the gentle breeze softly blowing her auburn hair, the pale moon causing her skin to illuminate. Her green eyes shone like the brilliant stars at presence. 

Never had he seen anyone so beautiful. She had taken his breath away the first time he saw her, and now... 

He heaved a shaken sigh, the feelings residing in him making his heart wrench almost painfully. 

He heard a twig snap all of a sudden. He spun his head around - someone was coming from behind another tall bush. Leaves rustled, and to Syaoran's chagrin, out came Sakura's older brother. 

Touya's gaze landed Syaoran, and his eyes narrowed. The two young men glared defiantly at each other for several seconds. Finally, Touya broke the staring competition. He looked to where the younger male had been looking before, and realizing that the object of where Syaoran was staring was none other than his little sister, Sakura, he saw red. Striding over to the other boy, he grabbed his shirt and stared angrily at him. 

'Listen here, you little brat,' he spoke menacingly, 'you can fool around with any other girl, but that one over there is out of reach. Get in contact with her, and I'll crush you with my own hands.' 

Syaoran was taken aback. If he hadn't known Touya, he would've thought that he was being protective of his little 'kaijuu'. He was about to make a comeback, when he heard Sakura's voice. 

'Is someone out there?' They must've been noisy. 

With one last threatening glare, Touya abruptly let go of Syaoran. 'Go,' he ordered, 'Don't come back here unless you want to come out looking funny.' 

Syaoran glowered at this, but the realization of the fact that the situation was a fight that could only end if one backed down, and that Sakura was aware that they were there, had forced him to turn and walk away. 

***

'Guess this is another day, huh, Sakura?' Daidouji Tomoyo spoke in a cheerful tone. Beside her, an auburn-haired girl made a face. 

'Don't remind me. I still have to finish up those bunch of math questions before school starts!' 

'Yea, or else Tomoe-sensei will surely have your head,' Tomoyo quipped. Suddenly, something caught her eye. Turning her head slightly, she saw Syaoran walking towards the same direction as they were heading. She turned back to Sakura. 

'Hey, maybe Li-kun will be willing enough to give you all the solutions. He helped you yesterday, didn't he? Salvaging you from the wrath of Tomoe-sensei and everything.' She glanced at Sakura knowingly. 'Wonder why.' 

Sakura shrugged. 'Beats me,' she said casually. Too casually. 

Tomoyo sighed. 

'Sakura, I've known you ever since elementary. You should be aware of the fact that I can tell if something is going on. So why not just spill it out? I'll found out sooner or later, anyway.' Hearing that, Sakura laughed nervously. 

'There's _nothing_ going on, Tomoyo. You must be spending your time with your video cameras too much, that's all.' The dark-haired girl looked at Sakura thoughtfully. 

'It has something to do with Li-kun, doesn't it?' 

Sakura nearly dropped the schoolbooks she was carrying. 'N-no. Of...of course not!' she protested, feeling flustered. Her best friend raised an eyebrow, not believing any word she said. 'It has nothing to do with him,' she insisted. 

Tomoyo smirked. 'Yea right, Sakura. It's as plain as day that _he_ is involved with this. You might as well have admitted to me your infatuation with the little wolf!' 

'Huh? But I didn't...' Tomoyo interrupted her, pushing her towards the school entrance. 

'Save your energy to get to the library. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you have less than ten minutes to finish up your problem sheets!' Hearing her, Sakura quickly bid the other girl good-bye and ran towards the school building, leaving Tomoyo behind. 

Seeing her best friend rush off, something appeared in Tomoyo's mind - a clear image of the last time she had seen Syaoran and Sakura looking at each other, discussing the Clow Cards. She hadn't been paying attention to the conversation, important it might had been. She was too busy taking notice of the kawaii pair, of how, right then and there; they had looked irrevocably and indescribably...right for each other. 

***

_Get your butt over to the library; get your butt over to the library,_ Sakura silently ordered herself, running at full speed and barely just avoiding the students that came her way. She dodged another student who was walking across the hallway, sighing frustratingly as she did so. 

Rushing to get to the school's library to be able to finish her question sheets on time wouldn't have to be so urgent had it not been for the subject - and the teacher that was teaching it. Tomoe-sensei was not the sort to let off students who forget to finish their homework slip easily. She made sure that they serve the penalty - thoroughly and definite. As a result, the student would never have to worry about forgetting homework again. 

She gulped. Last she heard, the last student who forgot to bring in his homework had been made to do twenty sheets on the related topic while standing up... 

The thought of it made Sakura sprint faster, but doing so had blinded her from anything else, therefore not catching a glimpse of the 'Wet Floor' sign placed on the landing of the staircase, and the fact that the staircases were slippery wet. 

The law of friction had soon caught up with her, and she slipped, tumbling down the last couple of steps, landing on her bottom and scraping her arm in the process. She gasped in pain as she felt her arm burn against the banister, scraped badly against the steps and elbow collapsing hard against the floor later on. 

For several seconds she just stayed there in her position. But thinking that someone might see her, she decided against staying any longer and stood up, gingerly placing a hand on her injured arm. She made a move to walk, but a male voice behind her stopped her from doing so. 

'If you're thinking of going into class early to seek help with your schoolwork, forget it. The room's closed.' 

Sakura turned around, and saw Syaoran standing close by. She frowned slightly. 

'That can't be. Class is starting soon.' The teenage boy looked at her quizzically. 

'It's Tuesday, Sakura. We have a spare first period.' Hearing the statement, Sakura nearly slapped her forehead. Tomoyo must have mistaken the day when she informed Sakura to head on to the library. But how could she have? And _how_ could she have forgotten herself? 

A sharp pain coming from her arm brought back her attention, and she gritted her teeth while smiling weakly at the Chinese teen in front of her. 

'That was really stupid of me to forget. Arigatou for telling me.' She turned to leave, but a hand suddenly grabbed her good arm. Whirling her head around, she saw Syaoran looking fixedly at her. 

'You're hurt, aren't you?' he asked quietly. Sakura felt surprised at his question. She denied it by shaking her head. 

'Iie...I'm not hurt,' she responded, 'you must have misunderstood.' 

Syaoran obviously had not believed her, for he was already lifting off the hand from her other arm and inspecting the badly scuffed mark whose length took up three quarters of her lower arm. Sakura tried to take her arm away, but he gripped it firmly, and probed it gently. 

'You *are* hurt,' he murmured moments later, and letting go of her, switched his gaze once more to her. 'Come with me.' 

Sakura blinked. 'Where?' 

'To my locker. I keep an ointment in there...in case certain circumstances go wrong and I needed it.' He started to walk away, and Sakura had no other choice but to follow. 

Soon they reached Syaoran's locker. Opening it, Syaoran rummaged through his locker to retrieve a small container. He turned to face her, and unscrewing the top of the container, told her to lift her injured limb. Sakura obeyed. As she did, Syaoran delved in the tiny bottle. Placing it back in his locker, he took hold of Sakura's arm and gently applied the liniment. 

Sakura watched as Syaoran continued smearing the remedy over her arm. The pain was fading, and she was acutely aware of the tall teen standing close to her, the firm grip and the way he applied the soothing balm, lightly and gently. She looked up and stared at the handsome face that was creased with concentration, at the male features, the arresting eyebrows, and the striking amber eyes. 

With those features, it was of no wonder that the female population in the school was all after him - lessening the chance of her seizing him for herself. 

Sakura frowned at this. _He was never for you to seize_, her mind derided, and Sakura unhappily agreed. Moreover, it appeared as if he was now considering her as a friend; certainly not a chance everyone gets and certainly not something that she would simply disregard. Being his friend was what she wanted in the first place...wasn't it? 

'There,' Syaoran spoke, and Sakura brushed off her thoughts to inspect her arm. The pain certainly had left, and the scrape didn't look as bad as it had been before. 

Sakura slightly turn her head up to look at him. She smiled timidly. 'You've helped me again...thank you. If there is anything you would like me to do, just say the word. I certainly owe it to you.' 

Syaoran was loss of words as the auburn-haired female smiled up at him. He felt himself redden faintly, and frantically hoped that Sakura wouldn't notice. 'It's no problem,' he managed to stumble out. He cleared his throat consciously. 'No need to owe me anything. That abrasion needed attention, that's all.' 

Hearing that, Sakura stood there, not knowing what else to say and feeling foolish for it. Taking in a deep breath, she spoke diffidently. 'Well, if you have a problem with anything then, you can talk to me and I'll lend a hand.' She looked at him steadily. 'Will you promise me that, Syaoran?' The brown-haired male looked at her for a moment. Then he spoke, and Sakura was astonished. 

'Agreed.' She had never that Syaoran could give in so easily. 

She knew at that moment that this was a start to a new friendship. She was happy, and so she beamed. 

But one look from her watch though, and she knew that she had to leave and cut everything short. Groaning inwardly, she scratched her head. 'I have to go. I'll see you in class, Syaoran,' she murmured, and reluctantly walked away. 

Seeing that Sakura had disappeared into a corner, Syaoran leaned his head against his locker, frowning at the thought of what he just did. He couldn't believe that he'd let someone in his life, showed to her that he had allowed her in, and actually _agreed_ to consult with her if things ever go wrong for him. As much as it delighted him that they were a tad closer than before, this was still, the biggest mistake he ever did. 

For he knew, that sooner or later, she would turn him away, and through everything that he had gone through, this would be what'll burn him the most. 

***

The last bell for the day rang loudly, and the students quickly scurried out of the room. Usually, Sakura would've followed close, but today she stayed back to jot down some last notes about the homework the teacher had written on the board. 

'Hayaku, Sakura. I'll be erasing everything off the board soon,' her history teacher spoke. 

'Yes.' Quickly writing down what was left, she then shoved all her belongings in her bag and made a move to leave. 'See you tomorrow, Terada-sensei!' The teacher smiled in response, and as Sakura went round to head towards the door, she noticed an object lying on one of the desks - someone had forgotten to take his or her history book. 

Knowing full well that there would be history the next day and that they had to finish reading a chapter before then, Sakura decided to do the good deed and return it to the person. Picking it up, she inspected it, and saw a name neatly written at the side: Li Syaoran. 

Her heart skipped, and wondered how, by just a look at a name, could she react like this. 

Determined to return it, she walked out of the room. 

***

15th floor. 16th floor. 17th floor. 

The elevator door slid open, and Sakura stepped out, the schoolbook in her hand. 

_What was Syaoran's apartment number?_ She wondered. 

_1707, if I recall correctly._

The green-eyed girl headed to her right, till she reached the door of which the same number was engraved on. Moving closer, her eyes widened slightly. The door was ajar. 

'H...hello?' she called out, cautiously walking inside. No one answered. Through her senses, she knew that no one else that might cause her harm was in the residence. That at least, she should feel relieved at. 

Placing the textbook down on a nearby table, she saw a piece of paper resting not far away from it. Unable to resist the curiosity that was becoming of her, she picked up the sheet, and peered at the words, eyes widening as each word was read... 

_ Xiaolang, _

While you are in Japan, your wedding ceremony with Meiling here is being prepared. You will soon take over as the new head of the Li Clan. 

Be here in a week's time. We wait for your arrival. 

Sakura couldn't read anything else; it was written in deep Cantonese and alas, her knowledge with it was insufficient. There was a small note written at the bottom, however, that she could read almost perfectly. It was less formal, and by the look from the handwriting, had been written by another person. 

_ Hey there, _

Reading my note way at the bottom of this paper, I assume that you've read the previous message...? 

Anyway, I can't wait to see you here, Xiaolang! Had it been seven years since I've last seen of you? And...I know it sounds ridiculous, but I still have the picture you've given me, the one that was attached to your last letter. You must've matured ever since then... 

I am thrilled that they have announced our betrothal to turn into a traditional wedding ceremony. It's going to be splendid Xiaolang! This and what fate has fallen upon both of us. After all, I am meant for you, as you are meant for me...   


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**JAPANESE VOCABULARY**

Arigatou gozaimasu - thank you very much  
Sensei - teacher  
Dewa mata - see you  
Demo - but  
Kaijuu - monster  
Onii-chan - term used for an older brother  
Iie - no  
Arigatou - thank you  
Hayaku - hurry up

Gaah, gomen if the chapter's crappy. It's 3 am and my already malfunctioned brain is not functioning! -_- I might re-write it, but who knows. Be on the look-out for Chapter 3! 

   [1]: http://www.asiansinc.com/rinoa/dreaming.mid



	3. The End

**Disclaimer**  


_CCS and anything related to it belongs to Clamp_. I am merely a stressed-out person who enjoy writing fanfics, so...please don't sue. The lyrics is copyright of Selena. All rights reserved. 

**Author's Notes**  
Third installment of this trilogy. So sorry that it came out longer than I thought! I've been sick, and extremely busy. And no, that's not an excuse. Why would you think of that? ^_^ Well, I hope you like Chapter 3 as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Dewa mata! ~ Rae   


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**Dreaming of You**  
Written by Rae

_I am meant for you, as you are meant for me..._

Reading that last sentence, Sakura stood frozen to her place, oblivious to the world but with the startling piece of news. 

Li Syaoran was still engaged with Li Meilin. Their wedding was undergoing preparation. He was going back to Hong Kong. They exchanged letters.... 

Maybe Syaoran's engagement to Meilin she could have understood, but it was the fact that they kept in touch with each other that stupidly stupefied her. 

And something broke within her. Placing down the letter with trembling hands, she whirled around and raced outside the apartment. She barely made it to her house, so blinded was she in tears that she crashed into Touya. Her startled brother looked at her in surprise. 

'Oyaoya! What's wrong?' 

Sakura ignored him and raced upstairs. She slammed the door behind her, and there in the solitude of her room, the tears came gushing out. 

She heard Touya pound against the door, calling her name out, but she took no heed. Emotional conflicts may get out of hand and she didn't want him getting involved. Besides, had Touya known that it was Syaoran that was the cause of her distress, he would've marched to Syaoran's apartment and throw him to the nearest ocean...without her knowing the real reason for it. 

Long minutes of uncontrollable tears had passed. Touya had long given up on pounding on her doorway, perhaps realizing that she had rather be left alone to take care of the situation. She wiped her tears away, sniffling. _This is stupid, Sakura. This crying is all stupid_, she thought angrily. _Syaoran...he'd never made any implication on whether he's attracted to you in the first place._ She slid against the door until she was sitting down and huddled against the wooden surface. 

_Accept the fact - he doesn't like you. He likes Meilin, he likes Meilin, he's engaged to Meilin, he's being married to Meilin._

She inhaled a shaky breath, trying to fight off the tears that were once again threatening to fall. 

_Accept the fact._

Kami-sama, but it hurts... 

To know that she had been foolish, to have even thought that Syaoran could one day see her as more than a Card Captor who formed a link between the Clow Cards and him. Maybe deep inside she had known that such situation would end up like this, but she wasn't prepared to this sudden feeling of emptiness. And of the feeling of deep pain of knowing that he would leave, and she would never see him again. 

***

_I just want to hold you close, but so far,  
all I have are dreams of you._

Opening the door to his apartment, Syaoran walked in, and despite the long walk he had taken to clear out his muddle head, he still felt angry. Angry of the letter that had arrived that afternoon, which ordered him to go back to his domicile, and get married to a cousin he hardly knew. 

True enough, he barely knew Li Meilin. It had been seven years ever since those card capturing took place, and Meilin had soon gone home after that. The last she heard of him or even got hints of his present life had been when he sent her that letter two Christmases ago, and the letter had only been sent for he'd felt obliged to do so, because he knew that he had to. 

Because he had to...every deed he had done for the clan had always been because he had to. To carry on his duty, and to make seem useful under the careful scrutiny of the Elders. But now this-this never-ending betrothal to Meilin...it had all been too much. Hadn't staying in Japan even after the Clow Cards had been caught meant that he simply wanted out? By staying in Tomoeda District, he had been called a traitor, and a betrayer to the Li Clan _by_ them. 

Yet, they were still attempting to manipulate his life, to make him the head of the Li Clan, and carry out the heavy burden that they did. 

But that hadn't been the problem. He wasn't afraid of the excessive responsibility. If that been the reason, he would take it automatically. 

The problem was that going back there meant facing once again the Elders who would enervate the energy out of him, tire him out, reject him and only use him when they felt like doing so. 

And he would be alone once again. 

He punched the wall with an angry fist. This was all asinine. Why couldn't they just choose someone else? Why couldn't they just get the fact that his link to them was already broken? 

Why couldn't they understand? 

Feeling that he needed a breather, Syaoran walked across the bare floor and sliding the glass wall, stepped out to the terrace. He rested his palms on the balcony, and heaved a heavy sigh. 

Ara...he was probably just being selfish. They were after all, his family. He had a duty to take care of, and he should feel obliged to accomplish it. He should go back - he had no reason not to. 

So what was making him stay here? Was it Yukito? 

Certainly not. His childish infatuation to the older person had long been gone. There was someone else that was preventing him to make up his mind. Someone with auburn hair, someone with green eyes. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. 

Someone named Kinomoto Sakura. 

The familiar warmth crept up his face, and he shook his head to get rid of the feeling; an attempt that failed. He shouldn't feel this. It was wrong. And even more wrong if he stay in Japan. 

Because what good would it do if he stay, when all he could do was to dream of something that only come true in preposterous fairy tales? Staying in Japan just because of a girl who was unaware of him as being more than a fellow card captor sounded stupid, and definitely obtuse. 

So if it sounded stupid, why was it so complicated coming up with a choice? Why couldn't he just make up his mind? 

And _why_ had she suddenly become a part of his decisions? 

He decided not to answer that; things were already complicated enough as it is. 

_Just make up your mind_, he told himself frustratingly. _What is so complicated about it? Stay, or not stay. Stay, or not stay. Stay..._

He wearily touched a hand to his forehead. The situation shouldn't be too complicated, but in coming upon a decision correlated to Kinomoto Sakura, he certainly found it very hard. 

***

Sakura woke up, finding herself curled up in a ball. Memories of yesterday's incident fleetingly came back to her, and she groaned inwardly. She suddenly didn't feel like going to school that day. 

Getting up, she trudged slowly towards the bathroom and there, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, seeing to her distaste that her eyes were red...no doubt a result from the news that had come slapping her the previous day. 

She grimaced. Her reaction the day before was certainly inexcusable. She should feel happy about Syaoran, and congratulate him for the matter. She should be pleased that her friend had found someone he liked. She shouldn't feel...like this. Like her heart was being torn into pieces, of which putting them back together was a hopeless case. 

The forlorn teen slipped into her school uniform and headed downstairs. Maybe she should miss school today, just so she didn't have to face anyone. 

She shook her head. No. 

She wouldn't, for skipping was certainly not a habit of hers, and avoiding her friends - particularly Tomoyo - was definitely inevitable. All in all, they would question her, and that in particular, is what she was trying to evade. 

***

_12:00 noon - Seijou High_

Two girls could be found having a conversation in an isolated spot near the school building. Partly hidden by a tree, a person couldn't see that they were there unless they take a second look. Figures - their conversation was something to be considered private. 

'Come on, Sakura. Something's up. I can sense it,' Tomoyo asserted, insisting that Sakura tell her what was wrong. But much to the raven-haired girl's frustration, her best friend stood firm on her ground, and shook her head. 

'Nothing's wrong, Tomoyo-chan. See?' Sakura grinned brightly, but the videographer wouldn't buy any of it - she had known Sakura for a long time, and she knew a fake smile when she saw one. 

'Sakura, I'm your best friend,' Tomoyo spoke with an anxious tone, 'surely you can tell me whatever problem is you're thinking of? You've been awfully quite through all our classes.' Again, the jade-eyed teen merely shook her head, still smiling that toothy smile of hers. 

Tomoyo sighed. This is getting rather annoying. 

All of a sudden, she noticed someone come into view, and realized that very moment who the figure was. Luckily, Sakura was facing her, thus she did not see the silent approach the person made. 

Almost hastily, Tomoyo made an input. 'Fine - I'll leave you here alone, all right?' _With him_, she silently thought. 'I'm off!' Seeing her best friend nod, she walked away from the secluded area. 

Tomoyo knew that she should grab her camcorder before it was too late, but woe for her, the blasted thing happened to be sitting on her bedside table right at that very moment... 

***

Hearing Tomoyo's departure, Sakura gave a sigh of relief. Her smile slid off, and all the emotions she was feeling finally became visible on her face. 

Her mouth sardonically curved a tiny bit upwards. With all the mixture of pent-up feelings she was keeping inside, it amazed her to have actually managed to plaster a big smile on her face the whole time Tomoyo was there with her, despite her best friend seeing through it all. 

But it wasn't only Tomoyo that gave her that somewhat sickening concerned look. Everyone did, and just by looking at her, too... 

Had she been that obvious? 

Behind her, Sakura heard a noise, akin to a twig snapping. Turning around, her face met Syaoran's, and she felt herself go pale. 

'Syaoran-kun...' 

_Wonder if you ever see me  
And I wonder if you know I'm there?  
If you look in my eyes, would you see what's inside-  
Would you even care?_

Syaoran stared at her observantly. He didn't reply till after several seconds had gone by. 

'Can you explain to me why you've been all quiet the whole morning?' he asked. 

Sakura paled even more at the question. She had a strong urge to walk away so as not to tell him anything, or reveal anything she was feeling. But that _never_ worked. 

So instead she forced herself to smile that false grin. 'There's nothing to explain. I was just thinking, that's all. More than I usually do.' 

Just thinking? What does she take him for? 

His thought must've been seen on his face, for Sakura seemed to be growing more and more uneasy as each second passes, and even more when he spoke his next words. 'You're lying. More, you're lying to me.' 

'I'm not lying!' she said frantically. 'Oh...p-please, do excuse me. There's something that I need to attend to.' She backed away, but he grabbed her arm to stop her. Sakura looked up to look pleadingly at him, but stood speechless when she met his steady gaze. 

'A few days ago, I promised you that I'll tell you any of my problems,' he started quietly, 'and now you can't even do the same? Friendship doesn't work like that, Sakura. And I'm...' he looked away. 'I'm you're friend.' 

Hearing that, it was Sakura's turn to move her gaze onto something else. 'It's...it's something that I can't talk about with anybody,' she mumbled. _Especially to you. How are you supposed to react when I...say it? Understand my actions, please!_

All of a sudden, she felt Syaoran's grip leave her arm. 

'It's me, isn't?' 

'You don't want to say it, because you're saying it to me...' 

Sakura looked up at him, and nearly choked when she saw his expression. 

Sadness. 

God forbid...it wasn't supposed to be this way! He wasn't supposed to be hurt; she didn't want him to be hurt. 

She heaved a sigh; her shoulders slumped as in if defeat. 

'Congratulations,' she whispered. 

Syaoran looked at her with a confused expression. 'What?' 

'Omedetou on your engagement, Syaoran-kun. I wished that you have told me, but now...all I can say is I hope that you're happy, and wish you well on your trip.' She felt tears start to form in her eyes, and she gritted her teeth tightly. Before Syaoran could see, she turned around to walk away, but for the second time that day, a hand had grabbed her wrist. 

Sakura tried to pull away. 'Please, Li-kun...let me go.' 

_But this isn't over yet. You actually think that I'll let it end like this?_

'Sakura...I'm not going back,' he said softly. Sakura didn't move. He moved closer, and putting two fingers on her chin, he brought her face to meet his. 'I'm not going back...because I can't.' With his thumb, he gently wiped away the lone tear that had escaped and started falling on Sakura's cheek, his heart twisting painfully at the sight. 

'And because of this.' 

Pushing his face forward, he kissed her. 

Stars exploded in her eyes. 

Sakura didn't move. She felt Syaoran's lips move over hers, the feeling of it sending shocks running up and down her body. She would've dropped to the ground right then and there, had it not been for his arm holding her waist. A dream...it had to be. He couldn't be kissing her right there and then, could he? He couldn't be so strong; he couldn't feel so warm, his lips so soft. All in all, this was the most ecstatic thing that ever happened in her entire being. 

Moments later, Syaoran broke the kiss. Opening his eyes, he didn't leave her gaze. 

'You were the one who mysteriously brought back my history book, and saw the letter, weren't you?' Sakura nodded silently. 

'Sakura...till that letter came, I wasn't aware that I was still engaged to her,' he explained huskily. 'And I'm not going back. There's too much in here that I can't bring up to leave. 

'You were always the one who said that I should follow my instincts. Well, I am. I'm following my heart, and it's saying that I love you.' 

I love you. 

Shocked and stupefied, Sakura stood frozen for a moment, though regaining her composure later on, had flung herself closer to him, the tears now flowing uncontrollably down her face. Tears of happiness. She never knew that he felt the same. And being informed of it, she had never felt so overjoyed. Through her tears, she whispered the same, and in response, Syaoran held her tighter. To both of them, this was more than they could ever ask for. 

_Late at night when all the world is sleeping,  
I stay up and think of you.  
And I still can't believe, that you came up to me ---  
And said, I love you _

I love you, too.

  


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**Japanese vocabulary**

Oyaoya - my goodness  
Kami-sama - God  
Ara - Oh  
Omedetou - Congratulations

All right, all right. That was corny, I know. But nonetheless, I would love to hear more from you, so R+R. ;] Much of this was inspired by old-timer, and _the_ CCS fanfic author, [Syaoran no Miko][1], especially the last parts. Review her stories, or indulge her with you emails now! 

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic/index.fic?action=Directory-AuthorProfile&UserID=15306



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